The invention relates in general to chandlery and in particular to reusable candles.
The fabrication and burning of large candles generally present a number of problems in the prior art. One such problem is that of guttering. Guttering refers to a process in which a pool of hot wax near the flame melts a channel in the surrounding wax. Such guttering may cause the available pool of molten wax to dissipate thereby causing the wick to stop burning. Further, the flow of molten wax into the surrounding wax may disfigure the candle by melting surrounding wax which serves to provide structural support for other portions of the candle. Guttering may present a fire hazard by enabling molten wax to escape the confines of the candle and contact flammable materials external to the candle itself Aside from the risk of fire, once a candle has been disfigured by guttering, an additional problem is that a large proportion of the wax in the original candle cannot be productively burned and therefore goes to waste.
The fire hazard may be exacerbated where potpourri candles (candles incorporating herbs or leaves to add selected odors) are concerned since the added material may increase the overall flammability of the candle.
Prior attempts to address the problem of guttering have generally been unsuccessful. One approach has been to use candles having inner and outer wax shells with different melting points. Using such a configuration, the outer shell preferably has a higher melting point than the inner shell to prevent guttering from affecting the outer shell. Generally however, the difference between the inner and outer shell melting points is not sufficient to prevent guttering from affecting the outer shell. Once guttering does reach the outer shell, the problems arising from such guttering are similar to those discussed above.
A second approach involves employing concentric outer and inner wax portions separated by a cylinder of insulating material. Generally, this approach involves having the inner wax portion burn all the way down to its base while the insulating material prevents the heat from disrupting the outer wax portion. It is desired that the inner wax portion would thereby burn all the way to the base and leave the insulating material and outer wax portion intact. If guttering is in fact avoided in this insulated design, the inner wax portion will experience difficulty burning near its own base due to a shortage of oxygen. Generally, as the inner wax portion nears the base of the candle structure because of continued burning, preservation of the flame will be rendered difficult because of an insufficient supply of oxygen, an inability to preserve a molten state of the wax near the burning portion of the wick, or a combination of the two stated factors.
That wax in the inner portion which is not burned as a result of the factors recited above is wasted which is an undesirable characteristic of the prior art. Further, the remaining components of the original candle cannot readily be reused. The unused wax at the bottom of the inner wax portion, or wax core, prevents consumers from simply purchasing xe2x80x9cinsertsxe2x80x9d or substitute wicked wax cores for insertion into the insulated outer shell. It is a problem in the prior art that the unburned portions of composite construction candles cannot be readily reused.
Another approach to the problem of guttering involves the use of a glass wall accompanied by a thermal insulator between inner and outer wax portions. This approach generally reduces guttering and provides for some degree of reusability. While this approach may reduce guttering, the resulting device is made expensive, heavy, and fragile because of the addition of glass to the design. The fragility of the glass can of course result in breakage of the glass due to mechanical stresses from being dropped or hit. Further, the glass can crack because of repeated heating and cooling operations to which it will be subjected in successive candle burnings within the inner core.
Therefore, it is a problem in the art that guttering may render large candles unusable by causing the candle structure to deteriorate.
It is a further problem in the art that guttering causes a large proportion of the wax in a large candle to be wasted.
It is a still further problem in the art that guttering may present a fire hazard by placing molten wax in contact with flammable materials.
It is a still further problem in the art that composite construction candles employing waxes with different melting points result in a substantial proportion of the wax being wasted.
It is a still further problem in the art that composite construction candles employing waxes with different melting points are generally not reusable.
It is a still further problem in the art that composite construction candles employing glass to separate wax sections of the candle are generally heavy, expensive, and fragile.
It is a still further problem in the art that glass used to separate wax sections in a composite construction candle is subject to cracking when subjected to a succession of candle burnings and associated cooling off periods.
These and other objects, features and technical advantages are achieved by a system and method which incorporates an indefinitely refillable candle preferably including a cylindrical outer shell, an inner sleeve, or insulating layer, attached to the outer shell, and a removable insert containing a wicked candle component to be burned. The composite construction preferably includes recesses and dimensions which are adjusted so as to present the outward impression of a candle of monolithic construction.
In preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer shell is made of wax to aid in presenting an image of a monolithic wax candle to a consumer or other person viewing the candle. Alternatively however, other materials could be used for the cylindrical outer shell. This is particularly true in the present invention since the outer shell preferably does not burn during operation of the candle. Further, the outer shell need not be cylindrical but may be constructed in a variety of different shapes and sizes wherein all such shapes and sizes are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve is preferably cylindrical and constructed so that its outside diameter will correspond to the inner diameter of the outer shell. The sleeve is preferably constructed of a material with low thermal conductivity so as to prevent heat from the burning wick and wax from melting wax or other material in the outer shell portion of the candle. The material used for the sleeve is also preferably of lightweight construction so as to help minimize the weight of the composite candle assembly.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the removable insert includes a cup having a cylindrical side wall and a base and containing wax and a wick which is substantially centrally located within the cup. The cup is preferably constructed of a thin, light, flexible, and thermally insulating material so as to minimize the transmission of heat from the burning wax toward the sleeve and the outer shell of the candle. Lexan(trademark) is one preferred material for the cup. However, other plastics and non-plastic materials may be used and all such other materials are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the insert is secured to the sleeve by including a flange along the exterior of the preferably cylindrical cup sidewall which enables the cup to be suspended at a selectable height with respect to the sidewall and outer shell. The flange preferably rests on the upper edge of the preferably cylindrical sleeve. The insert may alternatively be supported by other means and all such support means are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
The deployment of the above described sleeve, insert materials, with their thermally insulating properties prevent the guttering present in the prior art and the transmission of heat sufficient to melt the outer shell of the candle. The prevention of guttering preferably prevents the problems caused by guttering including but not limited to: structural disabling of the candle, cessation of the flame due a lack of molten wax, and the creation of a possible fire hazard.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wax in the removable insert is substantially completely burned thereby reducing waste, providing for longer burning time, and generally providing more efficient operation of the candle.
Therefore, it is an advantage of an embodiment of the present invention that guttering is avoided thereby preventing such problems as structural destruction of the candle, and cessation of the candle flame.
It is a further advantage of an embodiment of the present invention that insulating materials employed in the removable insert and the sleeve prevent transmission of heat sufficient to melt or harm the outer shell of the candle.
It is a still further advantage of an embodiment of the present invention that the candle is reusable by replacing the removable insert.
It is a still further advantage of an embodiment of the present invention that the sleeve and the cup portion of the insert are composed of resilient materials which will not readily break due to exposure to mechanical impact or exposure to successive periods of heating and cooling.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.